Posts tagged ‘Grand National Party’
On 31 October 2011, the National Assembly Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee failed to review the Korea-United States (KORUS) Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with Committee Chairman Nam Kyung-Pil indicating the review would be postponed to avoid a physical clash as opposition lawmakers blockaded the meeting room.
On 30 August 2011, a minor cabinet reshuffle replaced Unification Minister Hyun In-Taek with former Chief-of-Staff and Ambassador to China, Yu Woo-Ik. Domestic media has reported this as signalling a change in North Korea policy. Read more
On Friday 27 August 2011, Mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-Hoon stated that he would resign immediately, as he indicated prior to the failed referendum on free school meals.
Initial assessments have been that Oh’s defeat is a blow to the Grand National Party (GNP) with the referendum seen as a test of voter sentiment ahead of parliamentary elections next April and the presidential vote in December 2012. Read more
On Monday 4 July 2011, the Grand National Party (GNP) elected former prosecutor Hong Joon-pyo, as its new chairman. Hong declared reform to be a key priority, as the conservative ruling party struggles to regain popular confidence ahead of next year’s two major polls. Hong succeeds Ahn Sang-soo, who stepped down in May 2011, to take responsibility for the party’s defeat in the April by-elections. Hong received 41,166 votes, followed by Yoo Seung-min, a close aide to Park Geun-hye, who received 32,157 votes. The vote establishes a cleaerer path towards reform within the GNP.
